Complete picture in handball

Chief representatives of the EHF Member Federations will make their way to Limassol this week as a series of sport-political events are coming up on 23-24 October 2009 in Cyprus.

Four days before the 9th EHF Conference of Presidents and the 10th EHF Extraordinary Congress, the President of the European Handball Federation, Tor Lian, talks to Eurohandball.com.

Eurohandball.com: Two major sport-political events will be combined in Cyprus.

Tor Lian: The Conference Presidents is a very important event inside the EHF organisation and functioning. As the leaders of the European Member Federations are meeting there, it gives us the flexibility to use the occasion and organise an Extraordinary Congress whenever necessary.

Eurohandball.com: What is the importance of the two events in your view?

Tor Lian: In the EHF we handle matters in a democratic way and these forums are vital part of that. There exist different opinions inside the EHF and we have an opportunity at the Conference to listen to each other and draw the conclusions.

The Congress, on the other hand, is an occasion to take decisions on proposals tabled by Member Federations or by the Executive Committee after a dialogue with different parties in European Handball.

Eurohandball.com: What are the current challenges in handball you need to respond to at the Extraordinary Congress in Cyprus?

Tor Lian: We are living times of rapid change and this holds true for our sport handball as well. We have to understand it and we have to give response to the new trends.

This weekend we will discuss how to create a complete picture in handball with structures involving all the stakeholders (clubs, leagues, players, etc).

Such a discussion has begun some time ago at the 2007 Conference of Presidents in Rome and continued at the Lillehammer EO Congress in January 2008. Back then, decisions were made on the ways to involve club representatives in our structures. We had to evaluate the results of this process and we will discuss new proposals to ensure that all stakeholders are satisfied with their role.

Eurohandball.com: And what is your role in these discussions as the President of a continental federation?

Tor Lian: My role is to listen to all the parties, be a partner for the stakeholders. The European Handball Federation operates as an open and transparent organisation. Accordingly, we would like all members of the European Handball Family to know that we are absolutely open for their questions and opinion.

Eurohandball.com: Finally, the Conference of Presidents and the Congress will take place in Cyprus, a country that organised many handball competitions and sport-political events in the past…

Tor Lian: That’s right, I will return for similar sport-political events for at least the fifth time. We love to come back here as we have always experienced warm hospitality, perfect organisation. EHF events enjoy great support from the Cypriot handball leadership as well as the local sports authorities.